Queen of the Blue Palace
by LockStockBarrel
Summary: After Torygg's death, Elisif finds herself wrenched from the life of complacency and comfort and tossed into a new world of enemies, political intrigues both at home and abroad, and a war against the murderer of her husband. Companion piece to "He is the Dragonborn". Rated M for everything.
1. Chapter 1

Queen of the Blue Palace

 _"Don't fret. Ulfric's always been a man given too much to his passions. It will show in his fighting, and when he does, I'll pounce" muttered Torygg, High King of Skyrim as one of his attendants helped latch Torygg's last piece of armor on._

 _Elisif looked on worriedly as she smoothed one of the folds of Torygg's robe that draped off the back of his armor, glancing across the courtyard to the opposing entourage as Ulfric and his lieutenant stood grimly staring at them._

 _"Please...isn't...isn't there some..other way" she muttered quietly to Torygg, not wanting anyone else to hear, lest they think of them as some sort of cowards._

 _"Darling...we've been through this" Torygg spoke softly as he turned to catch her eye._

 _"It's just..." Elisif gulped, trying not to let the terror that was rising inside her creep into her voice._

 _"Hey..." Torygg dismissed his attendant with a wave of his hand before bringing her chin up to face him with a gentle caress "Don't you be underestimating me too. We've worked too hard to be going back to that. You just wait and see. You've nothing to fear. Skyrim will even stronger once I finish this" He smiled reassuringly at her._

 _Elisif nodded silently, catching the patient determination in his eyes that was so typical of him when set with a task before him._

 _She faked a reassuring smile back at him before turning, gathering her skirts up a little and climbing the stairs into the makeshift stand set up for the occasion._

 _As she sat down and observed the scene in front of her, she felt a brief swell of pride watching Torygg march out into the middle, decked in the finest Dwarven Steel armor and a resplendent fur cloak billowing in the wind slightly behind him._

 _Then she caught sight of Ulfric again and her heart sank._

 _The man was out of control. How dare he come to their city and challenge Torygg in such a fashion without a single word of warning or diplomacy?_

 _The look in his eyes was not displeasure, or even anger, like the sort of look she remembered in his eyes during the Moot when he'd chided all the Jarls for continuing to support the Empire._

 _No, the look in his eyes now was cold, calculating...murderous, and it terrified Elisif in a way nothing else in her life had._

 _She knew Torygg had practiced his fighting some, but he'd never even been in any real fighting and even during sparring matches spent most of his time moving around avoiding blows. He usually would just spend all his time evading until the moment he deemed the right one, then he would lunge in and attack._

 _Elisif was no expert in the ways of warfare, but something about it made her feel like Torygg would stand no chance against the seasoned veteran that Ulfric was known to be, having fought in the Great War and driven the Forsworn back._

 _As Torygg and Ulfric approached each other and someone made an announcement about the reasons for the duel, Elisif briefly closed her eyes and made hurried prayers to whatever gods she could think of at the moment, hoping that her fears were unfounded._

 _She opened her eyes to see the two in the middle of the courtyard, drawing their weapons and taking up a stance._

 _Elisif quickly scooted to the edge of her seat, as though her being nearer could will Torygg to victory._

 _Then something unexpected happened. Ulfric seemed to lunge forward, chest out and face forward, very exposed for someone in a duel._

 _"FUS!"_

 _A roar burst forth from Ulfric and a wave of force thundered into the shocked Torygg who was thrown backward as everyone could hear the cracks of bone in the unfortunate King's body from the force of whatever Ulfric did._

 _"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" Elisif heard someone screaming repeatedly, her eyes fixed on the broken, fallen form of Torygg as she felt herself moving from her seat and rushing down the stairs as Ulfric advanced on him._

 _"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Elisif realized it was her that was screaming as she reached the bottom of the courtyard in time to look up at Ulfric standing over Torygg, who wasn't moving at all._

 _She felt as if she was moving in slow motion, briefly shaking off a guard that tried to stop her from entering the ring._

 _This was all wrong. It was impossible._

 _She saw Ulfric raising his longsword._

 _"NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed one last time as she saw the sword come down with what should have been a clang against the courtyard cobblestones, but instead it was a thud of steel cutting flesh that rang fresh screams from Elisif as she froze in horror, watching transfixed as Ulfric reached down and picked up Torygg's head!_

 _Elisif didn't remember much after that. Later, Erdi told her that she had fainted. What little she did remember going in and out of consciousness was chaos, half laying on some chairs on the stands as people all around shouted indecipherable things at Ulfric and each other._

 _She remembered Falk Firebeard calling to get the Legion and someone else for arrests to be made as the sounds of horse hoofs clopping across the cobblestones echoed in the courtyard._

That had been a year ago to the day.

Imperial City, present time.

Elisif tried to focus on the furnishings of the room to keep her mind from the more painful memory of Torygg's death.

As she sat observing the tapestries and sculptures in the palatial waiting room of the Redoran estate, she couldn't help but notice there was simply too much red and black in everything.

As she pondered the reasons for this, the doors burst open and Colin Redoran, King of Morrowind strode in, clad in the same armor he wore to Council meetings.

While he still possessed the same bony eyebrow ridges common to the dark elves, his face wasn't as gaunt or ravaged by foul magic as other dunmer that Elisif had seen, though there was a barely decipherable scar from a blade slice that ran from his left cheekbone down to just above his jawline.

At somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 years old, he was in the prime of life for a dark elf and Elisif was reminded again of his martial prowess as well as the diplomatic and perhaps devious tact he had to have shown to be the King of Morrowind and current Arena Champion.

After closing the doors, he had marched right past Elisif and eyeballed around the room momentarily before scanning out the window across the vast gardens that they overlooked.

"You're certain you were not followed?" Redoran asked as he leaned against a column by the window and eyed Elisif carefully.

"We made several circuits of different city sections to ensure no one was following" Elisif tried to sound calm, unsure if his scrutinizing her up and down was for more than precautionary reasons.

"You should do the same when you depart to...wherever you're staying" Redoran answered, still fixing her with an uncomfortably scrutinizing gaze.

Elisif nodded before slightly clearing her throat and launching into the discussion she thought was the reason for her being there.

"I presume you wish to know more about the Dragonborn in Skyrim"

"Yes, but not from you" Redoran replied nonchalantly.

"Then...what is this about?" Elisif asked, surprised and a little insulted.

"You showed a lot of fire at the last Council meeting, more than anything we'd seen before" Redoran continued as if Elisif hadn't asked the question.

"I've finished mourning my husband" Elisif replied quietly, but with determination as the memories momentarily returned.

"Reasons aside, it's about time someone showed some fire to get things done" Redoran peaked out the window momentarily as if something had caught his attention.

For a moment, Elisif was going to ask him about who exactly he didn't think had enough fire and why, but figured it was more important to figure out exactly what he wanted first.

As she had been silently contemplating, Redoran had slowly withdrawn a bow that Elisif had thought was only decorative from a display and two arrows with it.

"What are you-?" was all she got out in surprise before Redoran shushed her as he crept over to the edge of the window.

Quickly, he knocked an arrow and fired at something below, his arrow finding its mark as Elisif heard a thud and a cry of pain from below.

Rushing to the window ledge, she looked down to see a plainly dressed Dunmer man writhing in pain between the hedges, the arrow sticking through his abdomen.

"Wh-what was that for?" exclaimed Elisif in surprise as several other Dunmer wearing the Redoran crests on their armor appeared from below them and ran to the writhing Dunmer, picking him up and carrying him away against his protests.

"What do you mean, 'what was that for'?" Redoran scowled at her "He was obviously a spy. No one's supposed to be down there, much less anyone trying to get to the walls at this time of day."

"Is-is that c-common for you?" Elisif tried to regain her composure as Redoran strode back inside the room and replaced the bow and remaining arrow.

"Politics are a never ending game. Thinking you've won only sets you up to lose the next round" Redoran eyed her gruffly again from the bow display as she walked back inside and resumed her seat.

Elisif opened her mouth to resume the discussion before they'd been interrupted, but Redoran cut her off.

"Speaking of spies, that brings me to why I asked you here. You were quite passionate at the Council meeting but lacking in a lot of...relevant information"

"Are you implying I am uninformed?" Elisif bristled again at the apparent disrespect that seemed callously tossed her way.

"You are in the middle of a civil war? no? You plan on being the next regent of Skyrim? no?" Redoran continued, again not answering her question.

Elisif simply nodded yes, clamping down the outrage she felt at being treated like a child.

"And yet, where are your spies?" asked Redoran as he leaned against a pillar and crossed his arms over his heavy armored chest.

"The ones we had when the war started mostly went to Ulfric's side and the couple that didn't either were exposed and slain by Ulfric or fled Skyrim for fear of the same fate. Since then, I've relied on the Legion's scouts and spies."

"The Legion's spies?" Redoran looked at her incredulously "And you wonder why you have trouble keeping Tullius' leash short?"

"Did you only ask me here to berate my efforts? What do you want?!" Elisif snapped.

"I can offer you a network of the best spies available. Spies of House Redoran, planted in Skyrim and would answer to you, not the Legion or any other of the Jarls."

"Wh-why?" Elisif asked, surprised again.

"To aid, of course. I cannot send any troops. The Nords would never countenance an army of dunmer within their borders and anyone on the fence about the war would surely be pushed to Ulfric's side" Redoran replied, finally showing a wry smirk.

"And what do you ask for in exchange?" Elisif queried.

"The same benefits you do, access to knowledge about what's going on in Skyrim"

"Why would you want to?"

"I need to find out about the Dragonborn, remember? Also, Ulfric's forces have encroached into Redoran lands a number of times in the recent months, raiding supplies and weapons. Then there is also the way he treats the Dunmer in his own city of Windhelm, walling them off like vermin and mistreating any request they make."

Elisif couldn't shake the feeling of apprehension to just agreeing carte blanche to his request, but she knew he was right about needing spies and by extension, knowledge about what was going on.

While Dunmer weren't widely trusted or agreeable in Skyrim, at least no one would suspect any of them for being spies for Elisif, and she could probably imagine them getting deep into Ulfric's territory without trouble.

"Fine, I agree to your...assistance then" Elisif replied after a long silence "But I'll need details and I would like a say in what objectives these...spies seek out"

"Of course" Redoran replied smoothly, making Elisif worry even more that she'd made a mistake "It will take me a few days to set things up, but I will contact you again to give you the details. Now, if you'll excuse me. I think I have an enemy spy to interrogate"

Redoran bowed slightly and departed.

Later that evening, at the estate of her good friend Janora Umbranox, Elisif carefully slid her robe and small clothes off and gently stepped down into a large pool-like tub of warm goat's milk and gently sat down opposite of Janora, who was lounging on the far side.

"Ahhhh, I had forgotten how good this felt" Elisif sighed as Janora took a sip from a bottle of something on the edge.

After a moment of silence while Elisif closed her eyes and rested her head on the edge of the pool, Janora piped up.

"Sooo? How did it go?"

"Aahhh, just when I'd started to forget my troubles" Elisif sighed contentedly.

"It can't have been that long since you bathed in goat's milk. You were the one that put me on to this sumptuous practice" Janora replied, taking another sip from the bottle.

"Well, when your province is at war, goat's milk baths are a luxury even I can't afford anymore" Elisif answered before yawning.

"Don't worry. Soon enough the Legions will win a decisive victory and start pushing Ulfric back" Janora tried to reassure her.

"Will they?" Elisif glumly replied "So far, it's just been a stalemate. One win..one loss. We gained something, but wait, we lost such and such place" she continued in her best mock Tullius voice.

"And did your meeting with Colin Redoran help change that?"

"It's a step in the right direction, I think"

"How so?"

"I've agreed to help implant a number of his spies into Skyrim. They report to me and I control the objectives of their missions."

Janora sat up slightly and almost knocked the bottle she'd been drinking off the edge.

"Why would he do that?"

"Presumably, to get information of his own about Ar-uh-the Dragonborn and Ulfric's forces"

"And you believe him?"

"Not entirely, but I do NEED spies of my own, not to mention if he wanted spies in Skyrim, he could probably have done it on his own without any of our knowledge. We know Karis already has spies there."

"Karis has spies everywhere, Elle" Janora grinned "The latest joke is that she doesn't have any subjects left in Skingrad because they've all been scattered everywhere as spies"

"Pshhh" Elisif snorted in disgust "At least when she says something in the Council, she doesn't have to shout and pound the table for people to pay attention."

"Oh my, Elisif, are you jealous of the woman in rags?" Janora chided her jokingly.

"Just because I'm not some powerful sorcerer or fighter..." grumbled Elisif.

"Honey, we let the powerful sorcerers and fighters do the work we need while we sit back and give orders. It's what it means to be a noble."

"But no one wants to do what I ask or even tell me anything!" Elisif retorted sharper than her friend deserved, sending waves lapping around the pool as she sat up suddenly.

"Then make them want to" Janora answered after Elisif had bowed her head in apology.

Elisif looked up pleadingly at Janora's brown eyes twinkling a hint of mischievousness.

"Come now, Elle. We've talked about this before. All men want three things: coin, sex, and power. Just figure out how to get them those things or make them THINK they're getting those things and people will start listening."

"Right now, the only thing men think when they see me, is the sex part" Elisif sighed.

"Well, it's a start" Janora mused as she took another swig.

Elisif scowled at her for a moment before Janora smirked back.

"I didn't say you had to whore yourself away to everyone, but the fact that you're desirable can be played to your advantage"

Elisif looked down at the tips of her breasts poking up through the surface of the goat's milk, absentmindedly stroking over her right nipple sticking out above the surface.

Desirable, yes, but who did she WANT to desire her. Even as she thought about it, the memories of her and the Dragonborn in the pool below the castle came roaring back and once again she was naked and half immersed in the green glowing water, clutching Arn's muscled torso with her arms and legs while he slowly pushed into her as she threw her head back in ecstasy.

Though she wanted to sink deeper in the memory as she deliberately tried to sink herself deeper in the goat's milk, she became aware Janora had said something.

"Gods! You're getting aroused. Aren't you?" she giggled

"No...no I'm not" Elisif lied, quickly sitting up and hoping Janora didn't notice how her body had begun responding to the memories.

"Come on...who is it? Who's got your womanly parts all in a bother?"

"Someone far away who can't help me" Elisif huffed in response after an awkward silence.

"Well, you'll have to find a way to get them closer...or pick a new lover. I do have connections..." Janora muttered slyly.

"I have more important things on my agenda for the next week" Elisif sighed, knowing Janora wouldn't let it go.

"I'm sure we can work in a few plays or parties...maybe even host one of our own. You have to get yourself out there if you want people to remember who you are or pay any attention to you" Janora continued undaunted.

"Yeah...maybe" Elisif sulked, realizing the goat's milk was rapidly losing it's warmth.

* * *

Author's notes:

1\. Originally meant for this to be in the "He is the Dragonborn" story, but felt it would be too disjointed to be sometimes jumping back and forth and would likely leave some characters grossly underdeveloped. Having said that, there's a high probability that there will be chapters that end up the same in both stories.

2\. Being a guy, I have at times been terrified of writing from a woman's perspective since I have often observed characters that are poorly written because the author has no idea that different genders think/feel/react to things differently, but I decided to bite the bullet and do it because I would never get any better at it without practice.

3\. Don't expect the same actiony sequences in this fic. It will be a lot more political drama than action.

4\. The cover image is Elisif from the Avelyn or Elisif mod by Aberin on Nexus, though I think the hair color should be a little more auburn instead of complete blonde, but I couldn't find an image of an Elisif that fit both the physical qualities and the hair I thought she should have.


	2. Light and Shadows pt 1: Imperial City

The Light and the Shadows Pt. 1: Imperial City

Elisif the Fair glanced across the Elder council table at the empty chair that should have seated Karis Hassuldor.

Ever since the first day of Council meetings, she had been a no show. It aggravated Elisif more than she wanted to admit since there were so many mundane and even ridiculous things that came up on the agenda as the week drew to a close.

It seemed as if the longer the Council was in session, the more ridiculous things came up for vote. Elisif could hardly believe some of them.

They had collectively just denied a motion put forth to invest treasury funds into research on the properties of troll hair.

Elisif had felt compelled to be at every session, performing her duty as a member of the Elder Council, but these last two days of motions were filled with things advocated by people that seemed to have no regard for the other troubles going on in the world.

She supposed it was to be expected that not every part of the land had any idea what went on elsewhere, and some people would always be too consumed with their own pastimes to care about others.

More and more of the council members had been absent as the week went on. A few, like Karis Hassuldor, had been absent since the first day.

Elisif looked around, unintentionally huffing out loud, realizing so few were left they barely had enough for a quorum to vote. There was so much more she could have been doing.

It had taken three days of letters and visits to persuade the High Chancellor to meet with her and despite the note from Karis Hassuldor that she would find Elisif when the time was right, there had been no sign of her since the first day of Council sessions.

Elisif sighed with relief as the much more patient Imperial Battlemage Izmo Ledora finally finished reading the last summary of the motion for whether to agree to open negotiations into a horse breeding alliance with some merchant in Hammerfell.

Since none of them there felt indebted to improve their horses for any reason, the motion was unanimously defeated and they all collectively sighed, stretched, and rose to depart after Ledora called the meeting to adjourn.

As they were leaving the Council chambers, Janora Umbranox gently touched her elbow while whispering in her ear.

"It's the last night you'll be in the city. Please tell me you have time for at least ONE party"

"What time?" Elisif queried only half attentively, wondering if there was anything more she could do in one night before the trip back to Skyrim began on the morrow.

"I'll pick you up at the mid evening hour" Janora grinned back, not giving a chance for Elisif to accept or refuse.

"But-"

"Wear something ravishing" Janora whispered before she vanished into the throng of attendants and guards outside the Council chambers.

That afternoon found Elisif seated nervously in the High Chancellor's chambers in the Imperial Legion Headquarters.

She wasn't quite sure what to think of Magnus Olaren. No one really spoke badly about him, then again, no one really spoke of him at all, at least not anymore.

Between ten and twenty years ago had been his heyday. He had been in the thick of every major Imperial engagement, resulting in a victory. In fact, it was likely his martial skills as a fighter and general that had kept the Empire from fragmenting after the White Gold Concordat.

Elisif knew he'd sustained too many injuries to ride into battle anymore. So she wondered how involved he could stay in the military activities.

She had immediately noticed the large table with full size land feature map of Tamriel when she was shown in. Now that she had time to sit for a while, she took in the large, lush tapestry paintings of battles that lined the walls.

Slowly, she walked around the room gazing at each one, marveling at the detail of them. She had gotten so enthralled in them that she didn't hear Magnus Olaren come in initially, only turning with a start when he cleared his throat slightly to interrupt her musings.

"Oh! My apologies, High Chancellor. I didn't hear you come in" she nodded in courtesy.

"You can call me Magnus. I think we've both had enough formality after a week of Council meetings" replied Olaren, walking up next to where she stood by one particular tapestry painting.

"Thank you" replied Elisif, wondering how to start the discussion she knew would probably get unpleasant.

"They're impressive. Aren't they?" Olaren mused, stroking the gray stubble on his chin as he eyed the tapestry painting.

Elisif was caught off for a second, wondering if he meant the victories in the paintings, most of which were his accomplishments, or if he meant the paintings themselves.

"The paintings, that is" Magnus clarified as he pulled a glass of what smelled like apple cider off a nearby table and took a swig.

"Oh, yes they are quite striking" Elisif agreed, glancing back at the painting.

"Of course, they can never do those battles justice" he chuckled "I should know."

For a moment, Elisif felt utterly overwhelmed. How could she talk to a man who'd seen and triumphed at the art of war for so long and convince him about anything when she had never seen battle or even so much as lifted a blade.

Elisif could only fidget as the awkward silence grew longer, but Magnus finally decided to have pity on her by starting things off.

"So tell me. What is a beautiful noble woman such as yourself wanting to talk to an old war dog like me for? My undersecretary says you were quite insistent, to the point of impertinence" Olaren grinned slightly as he limped over and took a seat at the large map table with his glass of cider.

Elisif flushed with a mixture of anger and humiliation. Anger over having to go to such great lengths just to TALK to Olaren, and then have him chuckle about it like it was some quirk of her own.

Determined to not be cowed by the circumstances, she took a deep breath and began.

"I assume you're aware of all of Tullius' letters concerning the campaign in Skyrim?" she stated more than asked.

"Of course" he replied.

"Well...It's just, I'm not aware of them" she felt like she blurted out.

"How do you mean?" asked Magnus, taking another sip of cider.

"Tullius doesn't tell me half the time what's going on. I only hear rumors or second hand accounts of how the war's going. That letter read in the Council on the first day...I had no knowledge of any of that" Elisif tried to sound rational and concerned.

"Have you talked to him about this?" Magnus replied absently, toying with the edge of his glass with a finger idly.

"Of course" Elisif replied.

"What was his response?"

"That I had enough on my plate as Jarl and didn't need to be 'burdened' with military tactics and information" Elisif replied with restraint, wishing at that time that she'd had better sense to challenge Tullius on his thinly veiled attempt at cutting her out of matters.

"Ruling is not easy and neither is keeping up with a military campaign. To try to do both is even harder" Magnus continued to mutter in a nonchalant manner.

"Even if I'm not running the campaign, if I am to rule Skyrim, I need to know what is happening out there" She declared, leaning on the map table with both hands, both eyes fixed on Magnus.

"So you DO intend to rule?" snapped Magnus surprisingly fast, his gaze snapping back up to focus on her, those hazel eyes of his intensely scrutinizing hers.

"Let's not play games about it. Surely Tullius told you about it in one of his letters. You know full well Idgrod is unwell, Siddgeir only cares about what happens in his own hold, and Igmund has mental imbalances that will likely force his removal. All the others are treasonous or in exile. What other choice do you have?" Elisif railed more intently than she meant to, trying to assert to most likely the second most powerful man in the Empire that she should be the one they looked to.

Magnus raised an eyebrow in surprise for a moment before leaning back in his chair and a ghost of a smirk appearing on his features before he took another sip of his cider.

"Well...if Balgruuf wasn't so damn stubborn, he would most surely be the likely candidate" Olaren mused as he absently looked off at nothing in particular, tapping the map table.

Elisif was aghast.

"You would pick a man who refused to ally himself with the Empire as the next King of Skyrim, a Jarl decreed in exile by the Council, a motion you yourself voted in favor of?" Elisif snapped in disbelief.

"He is well liked in Skyrim, occupies a hold of significance, is a military veteran and has many friends and connections here in the Imperial City. And if we're not going to play games about it, just remember you quite vigorously supported the Dragonborn, a man who also refused to ally himself with the Empire and in fact did quite a lot to help Ulfric's cause" Magnus replied back in a measured but intense tone.

"I...supported him...as the one the gods chose to end the Dragon threat" Elisif stumbled over herself, taken aback momentarily "not as a tool in a war between men."

"If he really is as powerful as the claims say, then eventually, he will have to choose a side. A man cannot be both influential and neutral" Magnus replied with finality before taking another sip of cider.

"Why did the Legion make him no offers then?" Elisif replied tartly, remembering Tullius' attitude of simply assuming he could order Arn around as if he was an armor bearer.

"Tullius tells me he rejected the one put forth to him" Magnus replied with a wave of a hand.

"All Tullius ever tried to do was order him around as if he was some footman in his regiment" Elisif answered with a raised eyebrow.

Magnus was quiet and simply shrugged as if there was nothing he could do about it.

"I can't help if you two are not on the same page" he sighed after Elisif fixed him with a glare of reproach.

"Maybe not then, but in the future I expect a little more deference from an Imperial General who sleeps, plans, and rides out to battle in MY city" Elisif snapped, determined to show this man that she was not the weak ruler Tullius had made her out to be.

"And what do you expect of me, then?" Magnus replied with seeming little concern, taking up his glass to sip from it again.

"Some support, for one. I have supported Tullius nearly without question for over a year now. I can't do that anymore if I am going to rule Skyrim like I ought. A word, or better yet, an order from you to insist his...cooperation would go a long way to...keeping us on the same page" Elisif finished, carefully choosing to use Olaren's own words.

"Are you asking to direct the campaign? For you surely know I cannot grant that" Olaren asked much like a scolding teacher.

"I am not asking to be made general. I am merely asking to be given the respect due my place" Elisif implored, wondering if she had chosen the right words.

"I suppose I can write something up. You are leaving the City on the morrow?" Magnus queried before snatching up a blank parchment from the edge of the map.

"Yes, too many things need attention for me to stay here long" she answered, leaning harder against the table as the tension in her body relaxed.

Elisif tried not to sigh aloud with relief as she watched Magnus scribble away on the parchment for awhile, eager to read what the fruits of her stubbornness had wrought.

"Is this the manner of order you're looking for?" He asked, deftly rolling the parchment and rolling it across the table to Elisif, who fumbled with it for a moment before opening and reading it.

 _Official Dispatch from Office of the Lord High Chancellor Magnus Olaren,_

 _General Tullius, I am certain your tireless efforts on our Empire's behalf go well. I also ask that you cooperate fully with Elisif, Jarl of Solitude and earnest supporter of our great Empire. I am confident you will continue the campaign in a victorious manner, but keep our Lady informed and be willing to take her concerns into account. We need the support of all our allies._

 _On behalf of Emperor Titus Meade II,_

 _Magnus Olaren_

"Yes...I think this will do" Elisif muttered as she rolled it back up and handed it to Olaren after walking around the table.

"I have done my part, but handling Tullius once you get back will be your task" Olaren sighed almost with resigned indifference as he dribbled wax and placed his seal on the rolled up orders.

"I am sure things will have a marked improvement if we can work together" Elisif tried to sound reassuring as Olaren blew on the wax to help it cool.

He nearly handed it to her but then yanked it back from her grasp suddenly.

"You must keep in mind that Tullius is a military man, and will see all things in that light and that light only. I sent him to Skyrim with the Legions for the sole purpose of quelling a rebellion. Remember that" Olaren chided before returning the rolled orders to her empty hand that had been left sitting there.

"Of course" Elisif nodded after breathing a sigh of relief to finally have the orders in hand.

Later that evening found Elisif staring at the mirror with worry, trying to get her hair finished before Janora arrived to retrieve her for whatever party she'd coerced her into attending.

Erdi appeared with the silver pin they'd been looking for.

"Here it is, my Lady. This should keep it in place just fine" she cheerfully announced as Elisif removed her hands and let Erdi pin the braids in the back up into place with the pin.

Elisif winced a little as she glanced into the mirror. She didn't normally wear a green frock, but felt for some reason that she should try something besides the blues and reds she'd been wearing all week.

She sighed as she wrapped a silk green chiffon wrap around her shoulders.

The green gown would show off plenty of cleavage if she allowed it to. That was what the wrap was for. The frock's material bunched a little at the waist, but it helped her get around easier than some of the more slim ones did.

"What is it, My Lady? would you like the flower brooch pin instead?" asked Erdi with concern, clearly happier than Elisif that she was attending a party.

"No, no nothing like that" Elisif muttered, trying to put her finger on the reason for her unrest "I suppose I just feel a little uncomfortable not knowing what I'm walking into."

"Oh, it's a party, a party in the Imperial city no less. I'm sure it will be splendid. There will be terrific dancing and magic, and maybe even some wild animals. Who knows, maybe even a dashing nobleman to whisk you off your feet?" Erdi finished giddy with excitement, arranging some of the curls dangling off Elisif's pinned braids.

"I suppose" Elisif sighed, for some reason not excited about the prospects Erdi mentioned, even though years before, she would have done just about anything to go to one.

An hour later, Elisif was escorted out of her carriage and into a large estate well ensconced in the Talos Plaza District or simply the Nobles District as it was known now.

Fine marble pillars adorned the massive main hall filled with long tables of all manner of food and drink.

Elisif stood on the steps and gawked for a moment at the sheer amount of food, guests, and servants all mingling noisily in the main hall while Janora Umbranox sauntered up to her left shoulder, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"I told you, you wouldn't be disappointed. A far cry from the banquets of Skyrim, eh?"

"Yes...it is" Elisif murmured as Janora tugged her by the arm further into the main hall.

Elisif was so awed that thankfully Janora was there to introduce her to the particular nobles putting on the party. Elisif was trying to remember exactly their names as they walked further in, but all that stuck in her mind was that the Lord of the house was nephew to Magnus Olaren.

Elf dancers leaped and twirled in barely there sashes of colorful clothing, both male and female, galloping gracefully from side to side of the hall to the orchestrations of some musicians off to one side.

Party mages cast spells of illusion and conjuration to the applause of the guests as they went round performing tricks and casting effects for the dancers and nobles upon request.

As they walked around, Janora whispered names into her ear as they walked past one guest or another. She knew she wouldn't remember them all, though she noticed Janora was walking her past an awful lot of unmarried men. They seemed to be aware of this fact as well.

Elisif had caught several pairs of eyes watching her as soon as she had made her presence known in the main hall.

Many of the young men from noble families were quite good looking, and one or two immediately dropped what they were eating or doing to stand and bow gracefully before Elisif. One named Bomann was even so bold as to plant a kiss upon her hand, making her blush with embarrassment, even gave her heart a flutter.

After walking around the entire length of the main hall, Elisif spotted a vast garden of hedges out the one end.

"And what is out there?" she asked Janora, finally getting over her reluctance and becoming more curious.

"Oh..that is the gardens. Guests are free to walk them, though at night there is not a lot of light there" Janora grinned knowingly.

"They don't really- I mean" Elisif tried to whisper at Janora by way of clarification, who simply shrugged as if it was nothing

"It is loud and stuffy in here" Janora indicated in the hall "If some guests wish to converse more...privately, what better way than to take a walk in the gardens?" she smiled again before cutting off Elisif's further questions.

"Now, now, I've gotten you here and paraded you before some of the best bachelors in Cyrodiil. I trust you remember how to flirt properly" Janora chided her.

"I'm not sure if my Nord ways will be appealing" Elisif protested weakly, realizing Janora meant to leave her on her own.

"You have a fine figure and an outfit to match. Of course they find you appealing" Janora reasoned, eyeing her outfit over for a moment.

"But it just doesn't seem-" Elisif started to protest again.

"I didn't bring you here tonight to find a King. I brought you here to find a man. Please tell me you'll at least try. It would be unseemly for me to hold your hand all evening" Janora urged, giving her another knowing grin.

"I suppose I-"

"Good! I have a few acquaintances of my own I'd like to catch up on before I take my leave as well. I'll meet you back here just before midnight" declared Janora with finality before sauntering off into the throng of revelers, leaving Elisif alone.

Elisif wandered around the main hall for awhile. She didn't lack for attention. Several young men came up to her and offered either a seat at their side or at least to give her a drink. She politely declined them all, continuing to gaze at all the different races, nobles, and entertainers on display with varying degrees of wonder.

After the first hour, Elisif found she was starting to enjoy herself. She'd finally found a good company of mixed visiting merchants and local nobles and was enjoying the conversation as well as the food and drink.

Since few of them had ever been to Skyrim and discovering Elisif ruled Solitude, Elisif was delighted to answer their questions about the weather, customs, the war, and anything else that came up as they chatted the night away.

She wasn't sure how long it had been, but it must have been awhile because nearly without warning the lights in the hall began to be dimmed.

Elisif thought at first it was just torches running low on oil, but then she saw servants were putting out the lights on purpose.

"What is the meaning of that?" she asked the surrounding group.

"It means it's the start of the last hour before midnight. Here in the Imperial Capital, some parties do it. It's called the...dark hour" grinned one of the men in such a manner that Elisif wasn't sure she liked since the man was sitting right next to his wife.

"Wh-why is it called that?" Elisif wondered aloud as she saw the torches had all been extinguished and in their places, a few cauldrons of blue flame had been lit, casting the hall in a dark blue glow for its only lighting.

"You'll see soon enough" laughed one of the merchants, the others joining in with a giggle or two that put Elisif in an even more worried state.

Deciding it might be a good time to see if Janora was awaiting her, Elisif excused herself and slowly meandered her way back toward the back opening of the main hall.

At first, Elisif didn't think there was any difference to the party once the hall was quenched into the dark blue of "dark hour", but as she moved further down the hall, she stopped and looked around, beginning to see things changing.

The thing that caused her to stop was when she realized that the dancers from before were still running to and fro, but now they really wore no clothing at all.

She stared around the room.

The food was being removed and replaced with bowls filled with hideous looking insects and other food that didn't look like it was fit for consumption. Still other servants carried in pitchers that reeked of ale fumes so strongly, Elisif wondered how anyone could stomach the contents.

Bowls of unknown powders and liquids were placed on all the tables.

This caused more puzzlement in Elisif than alarm until she heard a nearby woman gasp.

Slowly walking forward in the bluish haze, Elisif stared at a Mer woman, probably Dunmer.

She was naked and sitting on a man's lap, grinding herself against him.

Elisif was shocked. Surely they weren't...here in front of...

Then she noticed others, a man and woman practically tearing each other's clothes off under a table, a khajjit merchant suckling from another noble woman's now unclothed breast.

Elisif slowly backed away before she turned and saw an even more shocking sight.

The Count of Bravil, a Breton named Dorian Lerus had one of the dancing girls leaning over a chair as he thrust into her from behind, her hand over her mouth to muffle the yelps of pain she uttered.

At that angle, he couldn't even be in her...Elisif gasped in shock, causing Lerus to look up at her for a moment before grinning lasciviously and thrusting harder into the woman bent over in front of him.

Elisif felt like wretching on the floor, stumbling away from the sights and sounds beginning to surround her, she rapidly made her way to the end of the hall by the gardens.

Breathing heavily, she looked in vain for Janora, realizing she'd caught the gaze of several men on the way out to the exit and began to fear being followed.

The hall was dark enough where if you weren't in proximity to someone, you couldn't make out details. All Elisif could see from the doorway was a bunch of moving blobs or general dark shape along with accompanying din of noise.

A sharp shriek from the hall of either pain or ecstasy jarred Elisif and she grew more fearful of remaining there. She wanted to leave, but to do so would mean venturing back inside and through the blue darkness in the main hall.

More laughing and another scream echoed in the hall, and Elisif involuntarily backed out of the Hall exit and hastily hid behind the only lighting in the area, the twin torch towers at the beginning of the Gardens.

It only took her a short while to realize hiding by the lights were a bad idea.

When she saw two men come out the door and immediately make for the Gardens, she panicked and slunk away from a torch and around the corner into the hedges of the Gardens.

The cool night air calmed her a little as she quietly moved away from the opening, glancing carefully behind her for anyone following.

She decided taking a few turns in the maze would get her out of sight enough while making sure she didn't get lost, but she had only made the first bend in the hedges before an impossibly strong hand grabbed her by the arm, yanking her into another opening and another hand clamping over her mouth.

Her scream into the hand was muffled and she would have fought and bit at her supposed abductor if the smooth voice of Karis Hassuldor, Countess of Skingrad, hadn't immediately whispered in her ear.

* * *

Author's notes:

1\. Didn't mean to end on a cliffhanger, but adding in Karis' meeting would have doubled the chapter length.


	3. Light and Shadows pt 2: Imperial City

The Light and the Shadows Pt. 2: Imperial City

"Easy now, fair one. I told you I'd find you when the time was right" Karis whispered before gently releasing the shocked Elisif from her grasp.

"You want to meet here? Now?" Elisif gasped in further surprise, trying to compose herself and keep her voice to a whisper.

"No one would expect an important meeting to be taking place in the middle of all...this" Karis shrugged, indicating the noises coming from the main hall and a few far off noises in the Gardens.

Elisif took a few moments to gauge the woman who always seemed to create more questions than answers.

Karis Hassuldor again wore nothing regal or fancy. She wore a dark blue mage robe with a black cloak and a hood drawn over her head, a few red curls poking out as she stared at Elisif with those intent, green eyes.

"Will we be safe?" worried Elisif.

"Of course, darling. Follow me" Karis replied with such an ease of manner, that Elisif thought she must do this all the time.

As Elisif followed Karis deeper into the Gardens, winding through turn after turn, she wondered what it was about the woman that made her feel at ease all of the sudden. She spoke so pleasantly, but there was an edge about her. As if...she was deliberately pleasant to offset something far more terrible.

Elisif thought she should be more afraid, should probably not even be out here, following this woman into the depths of someone else's maze, but she knew Karis wanted her as an ally, and if Karis was a mage to be feared, then perhaps Elisif was in the safest place she could be.

At length, they found themselves in the center of the maze, a large fountain surrounded by ceramic benches with potted ivy plants that wreathed up and over lattices to form a man made bower of sorts.

"This is the middle of everything. Someone will surely find us here" Elisif hissed, glancing around.

"No, they won't" Karis muttered before casting a spell that seemed to create walls of hedges in both openings into the center.

"But-"

"Not yet. In here" Karis interrupted her, motioning her under the bower.

Once they were both under it, Karis cast another spell over the bower, but Elisif saw no effect.

"A spell of silence around the bower, no one will hear anything that we say while we are under here" Karis replied to Elisif's puzzled look before she sat down on one of the benches and crossed her arms.

"I...didn't know you were at the party" Elisif muttered by way of opening.

"None of them do, and I prefer it stay that way" replied Karis before crossing a dark clad leg over another and eyeing Elisif intently for a moment "You've been rather busy this week. I'm surprised to find you at a party like this"

"I..uh...didn't know it would be...this kind of party" Elisif blushed.

"Most of the parties have a dark hour at the end, allows the nobles to indulge themselves for a bit without being seen doing so brazenly" Hassuldor shrugged as if it was nothing new.

"But it's so..." Elisif gasped, searching for the right word.

"Barbaric? Chaotic? Disgusting? Of course it is. Normal things don't excite nobles" Karis replied with a slight smirk.

"Are all the parties THIS bad?" Elisif continued, hugging herself to placate the feeling of aloneness that suddenly felt evident.

"I've not inspected the proceedings inside, but from what I've seen in the garden, it's about normal. Some are better. Some are worse. If you stay in the Imperial City long enough, you'll get a sense for the people who throw the 'safe' parties and those who...don't" Karis finished with an ominous grim line forming on her lips.

"I can't believe nobles would be this...decadent while the Empire struggles to hold its borders and provide for its own people. Skyrim is in a full on Civil War!" Elisif snapped louder than she meant to, growing indignant at the thoughtlessness of it all.

"You assume they would care for any far off lands or people. Some of these nobles spend their entire lives in the Imperial City" Karis replied indifferently.

"Do they not realize if the Empire fractures that all this reveling will end since there will be no more rich nobles!" Elisif continued.

"To many of them, the Empire is much like the horse that draws their carriages from one place to another. It is not thought much of or at all until it grows ill and cannot work, and yet, you and I both know that like the horse, the Empire is a living, breathing beast in need of food, housing, and protection" Karis declared, looking off at the feast hall up on the hill.

"Surely there are more on the Council interested in the well being of the Empire" reasoned Elisif, going over the different Councilors in her head and weighing the devotion she perceived from them.

Karis actually laughed a little at that.

"Ah, you have much to learn of politics, fair one" she chuckled.

"So everyone keeps telling me" huffed Elisif, unable to mask the annoyance at having yet another 'ally' belittle her lack of experience.

"Oh? Is that what Magnus Olaren told you this afternoon?" Hassuldor queried with a raised eyebrow and small smirk.

"How did you-" Elisif started to protest before Karis cut her off.

"We'll get a lot more accomplished a lot quicker if you don't question how I know or can do things. Just accept that I've spent...a long time cultivating...sources of information" Karis replied, rising to her feet and pacing away from Elisif.

"Well...Olaren didn't say precisely that I didn't know what I was doing, but he had no qualms about laying out his plans to put Balgruuf on Skyrim's throne once the War is over" Elisif declared after a short silence contemplating whether to continue or not.

"A bold move" muttered Karis, still facing away from Elisif.

"I couldn't believe they would plan such a thing either" exclaimed Elisif.

"You mistake my words. It's not a bold move to put Balgruuf on the throne. What was bold was that he told you about it" Karis continued to look away.

"You mean they've been planning this all along?" Elisif was disbelieving at first, but then all the actions of Tullius and Olaren seemed to click perfectly to fit that picture.

"If they've planned this from the start, why tell me now? Why not just keep me in the dark until the time was right?" Elisif reasoned aloud.

"Well, the war has not gone according to plan, and Balgruuf wasn't supposed to still be neutral. However, I don't think either of those are the real reason" Hassuldor muttered, spinning to fix Elisif with a contemplative stare.

"Then why?"

"Simple, it's a challenge"

"A challenge to what?"

"To see if you can indeed rule, or at least rule like they want"

"I can indeed rule. The question is, are there more "they" besides Olaren and Tullius, and what do they have planned for Skyrim after the War?" Elisif declared, feeling as if Karis was also testing her in some way.

"Now you're getting somewhere" Karis smiled slightly before continuing "I'm willing to aid you to an extent. I'll give you some names, but I'm not doing everything for you. Some things you must find out for yourself. I also expect compensation for my aid" Hassuldor's smile faded as she became stern in her demands.

"And here I thought you cared about the well being of the Empire" sighed Elisif cynically.

"Don't delude yourself. No one acts for the Empire with such great altruism. Even you...would you care so much about the Empire's...well being...if it didn't concern getting Skyrim aid?"

Elisif felt a pang of guilt as she looked down, not wanting to admit aloud the truth of Hassuldor's query.

"This is a transaction, plain and simple. The fact that I'm willing to trade with you and do so honestly should show that I'm an ally" Karis continued after Elisif's silence.

"What is it that you want in exchange for your help?" Elisif asked after a contemplative silence.

"I want to know about this Dragonborn, Arnsmyth Bulgoar."

"What do you wish to know?" Elisif sighed, taking a seat on the ceramic bench and staring at the water fountain, memories coming back to her at the mention of his name.

"Everything" smiled Karis Hassuldor.

Elisif took her time, relating all the events that had transpired from the time Arn arrived in Solitude to his departure, only leaving out their tryst in the pool in the secret passages of the Blue Palace.

Karis spent most of the account pacing, stopping only to ask a few questions about the Potema incident before allowing Elisif to resume.

Upon finishing, Elisif watched as Karis paced quietly for a few moments before turning on her.

"Is that all?"

"Well, the Thalmor are trying to frame him for murder" Elisif spat, thinking she finally had something the elusive Countess of Skingrad didn't know.

"Of course" Karis replied, as if everyone knew.

"Well?"

"They plan on forcing his arrest" Elisif retorted, wondering why Karis was so casual about it.

Hassuldor actually laughed a little at that, which irked Elisif even more.

"They've already tried arresting him once. It didn't go well for them" Karis chuckled.

"But if they make it official, they can cut his ties to nearly every hold" Elisif reasoned.

"Then, don't let them make it official" Karis retorted, as if the solution were well within her grasp.

Elisif only sighed in annoyance, realizing that asking more questions would just make her look that much more incompetent.

"That's everything then?" Karis snapped, obviously expecting more.

"Yes" Elisif replied, hoping the flush of embarrassment she felt hadn't shown up in a blush.

" _Everything_?" Karis again questioned, this time squinting her eyes slightly in the moonlight and cocking her head to one side slightly as Elisif squirmed under her scrutiny.

"Everything...that's relevant" Elisif mumbled out, not wanting to outright lie to her newest potential ally, but not feeling like divulging the truth either.

"I asked for EVERYTHING, not what you thought relevant" snapped Hassuldor in a fierce tone that made Elisif jump slightly.

"It's of...a personal nature" Elisif crossed her arms and hunched down, refusing to be intimidated any further.

"How personal?" Karis returned to the smooth questioner of before, still eyeing her critically.

"Very personal" Elisif huffed.

"Ah...I see" Karis replied after a short silence, a small smirk growing on her features before she turned and paced away from Elisif again "Tell me, then. Did he display any...particular qualities as a lover that were...different"

"Not really, other than having...a lot of stamina" Elisif blushed furiously, thankful Karis had her back turned and annoyed that people seemed to see right through her to what she thought was secret.

"Well, satisfied?" Elisif couldn't help but grouch at the silent form of Hassuldor after she didn't say anything for some time.

"I wish there was more, but I trust you've shared all you can" Karis replied as she whirled and walked back to Elisif.

"You have the list, then?" Elisif retorted faster than she meant, eager to hold Karis to her end of the bargain and get the subject changed off of her own personal matters.

Karis wordlessly reached into an inner pocket of her mage robe, withdrew a small parchment rolled up and tied with a small cord, and handed it to Elisif.

Practically tearing the tie off, Elisif spread the piece of paper open to read the names listed there.

"Is there a reason there are two different columns?" Elisif asked without looking at Karis while reading the names.

"That is for you to discover" Karis replied with disinterest.

There were about twelve names on the one side and six on the other:

 _Scolina Jorvan_

 _Bagdul Gor'Obbak Magnus Olaren_

 _Lothiel Indarys_

 _Solanus Olaren General Garven Tullius_

 _Amaund Motierre_

 _Dorian Lerus Legate Forius Moldak_

 _Jorcan Caro_

 _Kanarid Ilven Gaius Maro_

 _Janora Umbranox_

 _Waldeena the Far Reaching Legate Constantius Tituleius_

 _Faraste the Unclean Legate Adventus Caessenius_

Elisif had quickly glanced over the list, taking in the names, before her eyes fell on one name in particular that made her freeze: Janora Umbranox.

She read it repeatedly to make sure she had not imagined it before snapping her head up to glare at Karis, who was leaning against a bower support, eyeing her in that usual dispassionate gaze.

"What is the meaning of this?" she hissed at Hassuldor, who merely raised an eyebrow in response.

"You must surely know that Janora and I have been good friends for years!" Elisif practically spat.

"So?" Karis shrugged as if it was nothing.

"How is it possible she has intentions in Skyrim?" Elisif tried to keep her voice down, beginning to wonder if it was even real or if it was really Hassuldor trying to manipulate her.

"A friendship with you doesn't mean she doesn't have other motives" Karis muttered, looking off in one direction before turning back to her.

"But..." Elisif tried to reason before Karis cut her off, stepping forward and her eyes blazing with a brief flash of anger.

"If you can _indeed rule_ , you will need to learn some things, and learn them fast, or both you and the people you seem to desperately care about will suffer a heavy price for your failure!" she snapped before bundling her cloak about her and waving her hands, causing the spells of silence and the illusion of hedges to fade away.

"Come, since you will clearly not believe unless I show you" hissed Hassuldor with a motion of her hand before she was quickly heading out the other side of the center of the maze.

Elisif struggled to keep up without her fancy shoes clacking on the stones periodically placed on the path, prompting Karis to turn and glare at her. Eventually, Hassuldor grew fed up and forcefully handled Elisif's feet this way and that as she plucked them off and handed them to the surprised Elisif.

Moving further down into another corner of the maze, Elisif's heart began to fill with dread. What was it she was going to be shown? Janora couldn't possibly have plans to do with Skyrim that she wouldn't tell Elisif about, would she?

Even as these thoughts crossed her mind, Karis suddenly grabbed her and pulled them to the side, casting some sort of spell that Elisif couldn't see any effect of.

Elisif gasped into Karis' hand as she looked out into the alcove in the garden maze to see several figures she recognized, illuminated by the torch burning in the alcove corner.

The tall, hulking man among the shorter figures was clearly Bolgeir Bearclaw, Elisif's own housecarl, who should have been dutifully standing watch by the entrance to the estate.

Lysi, one of Elisif's maids, was there as well, but clearly against her will as she was held by two figures cloaked in hoods that prevented Elisif from seeing them.

Janora was there also, apparently presiding over this...secret meeting of sorts. She stood off to one side in her black, saucy evening gown, the neckline pulled down even farther than it had before. Hands on her hips, she was hissing questions at the bewildered Lysi, who tried to shrink away, but was jerked forward by the robed figures.

Elisif couldn't hear what they were talking about, but, determined to put an end to this nonsense, she made to step out before Karis grabbed her around the midsection and yanked her back against her, covering her mouth again.

"You won't find out anything like that..." she hissed the quietest of whispers in her ear.

She could see Lysi was crying, blubbering on about something, her little shoulders shaking as the two robed figures yanked her forward to Janora again, who got in her face to make what appeared to be a threat before motioning Lysi away.

At that point, Bolgeir stepped up and latched onto the collar of Lysi's frock, practically dragging her off her feet as he ushered her off into the maze toward the house on the hill again.

The two robed figures talked quietly with Janora for a short bit before one of them seemed to sense something and turned quickly, eyeing the area around, making a silencing hand motion to the others.

Just as quickly, Elisif felt herself effortlessly thrown over Karis' shoulder as she cast another spell and rather rapidly slunk away from the alcove back towards the middle of the garden maze.

When Elisif had been set back down again, she let out a huge sigh of relief, unaware that she'd been holding her breath for some time.

"How...can you be so strong?" she queried before receiving a glare of annoyance from Karis, remembering not to ask 'how' questions from earlier.

After that, she was quiet, staring down at the ground with confusion, betrayal, and fear all warring in her heart over what she'd seen.

Taking pity on her perhaps, Karis stepped in close and tipped her chin up.

"Ah fair one, you have many puzzles to solve in a short amount of time. Memorize the names on that list. Then burn it. It is likely your correspondence is being watched as well. Life will never be so simple as it used to be for you. You must learn to curtail those emotions of yours. A strong ruler must always be using this" she pointed to the side of Elisif's head "And every once in awhile, some of this" she dropped her finger to point at her heart.

"But..." Elisif tried to argue, unable to come up with anything to say in her defense of either herself or Janora.

"Enough...by now Janora will be looking for you" Karis muttered, glancing quickly over her shoulder before reaching up and unpinning Elisif's braids and beginning to ruffle and shift her frock as Elisif tried to push her hands away.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed at Hassuldor, who only smirked before spinning her around and undoing several of the ties in the back sloppily and sprinkling some leaves in Elisif's hair before spinning her back around again and gazing at her head to toe as Elisif sputtered and tried to get her outfit back in shape.

"You've been gone from the party for awhile. They will expect you to have a good reason for doing so" Karis muttered before glancing around again.

"No one saw me leave and I made sure not to be followed" Elisif protested, trying to get the leaves out of her hair.

"One so beautiful as you will always have eyes following them, even if you don't think so" Karis returned before batting Elisif's hands away from her hair and replacing the pin deliberately in the wrong place, leaving the braids hanging off to one side and an occasional leaf or bit of grass showing.

"I don't think I like where this is going" Elisif muttered, aware of what Karis was getting at.

"Janora brought you here to find a man. Make her think you have. The nobles will begin to get very uncomfortable if they begin to think you're not like them" Karis reasoned before holding out a small phial of creamy colored liquid.

"Gods! Please tell me that isn't what I think it is" Elisif hissed, shrinking from the phial.

Karis simply cocked her head slightly and gave her the type of scolding look Elisif remembered getting from her tutor when she was just a girl.

With shaking hands, she carefully reached out before snatching the phial away.

Stepping up to Elisif, Karis fixed her with those brilliant green orbs again.

"You are confused, afraid, upset, and still feeling guilty about a good many things I suspect. Use the fact that others have seen this to your advantage, and in all your dealings, remember that behind every light is a shadow" Karis declared before whirling to depart.

"What if I need to speak to you again?" Elisif stuttered out at the departing form of Hassuldor.

"Then I will probably know about it before you can reach me" Karis turned and grinned almost evilly at her before gliding off into the darkness of the maze.

After a few moments of being left alone and various thoughts running through her head, Elisif sighed before staring at the contents of the phial and looked back up to the Hall up on the hill.

Resignedly, she sat down on one of the benches, glancing around quickly before hiking up her dress and dribbling the contents of the phial on the inside of her dress before pitching the phial off in disgust. She wrinkled her nose at the brief scent of seed that assailed her nostrils as she tried to straighten herself up a bit more.

Steeling her resolve, she stood and sloppily pitched the folds of her dress down and slipped the edge of her frock's hemline off one of her shoulders before setting off for the main hall again, somewhat ready for whatever awaited there.

To her relief, she could see the lights had been re-lit in the main hall, though lower than before, and as she ascended the steps to the back, immediately spotted Janora just inside the doorway standing on her tip toes looking this way and that in the main hall to find Elisif.

"J-janora" Elisif tried to greet her, though it came out subdued and her voice nearly cracked.

Turning quickly to see Elisif on the porch, Janora's look went from one of surprise to relief to a sly grin as she began to note the state of Elisif's dress.

"I see you took my advice. See? not so hard...or was it?" she teased Elisif suggestively as she stepped out onto the porch.

"Now...now, a noblewoman doesn't...uh...kiss and tell" Elisif whispered, remembering Karis' words as she let her own flustered state and confusion play to her favor.

"Oh...I see. I trust you found your rendezvous to be...satisfactory?" Janora quipped slyly, not letting up.

"Of course" Elisif shyly replied, only slightly relieved when Janora took her by the arm and they both headed off towards the entrance to the main hall.

"Good enough to have...another meeting?" continued Janora as they passed a group of servants cleaning up a large spilling of wine on the floor.

"Perhaps" Elisif added, refusing to let her worry show as they finally made it to the entrance and she saw Bolgeir standing at the ready while Erdi and Lysi sat in the Carriage.

"Then I can assume we will see you in the Imperial City more often?" Janora asked as they descended the steps toward the waiting Carriages.

"If things in Skyrim permit, then yes. However, I have a feeling there will be a pile of things for me to attend to when I get back" Elisif sighed letting the sadness of it show as fatigue as she climbed into the Carriage and took a quick glance at Lysi, who was looking down in reverence.

"Be sure to write, then. I'm sure we'll find plenty to talk about" slyly added Janora as Elisif stepped up into her Carriage.

"I'm sure we will" muttered Elisif back as she waved for the driver to start moving, waving good bye to the darkening form of Janora as they pulled away.

* * *

Author's notes: edited to fix a timeline issue and to fix the format of the list, which didn't transfer correctly.


	4. Questions at Home - Solitude

Questions at Home: Solitude

"And just WHEN were you planning on telling me we nearly lost the War?!" Elisif snapped at General Tullius.

Elisif sat crossly in a high backed chair at the end of a large table, on which a large map of Skyrim was sprawled with markers in different places.

Tullius stood off to one side, leaning on the table with both hands as he eyed the pieces, pretending not to be bothered by Elisif's outburst or the stress behind the reason for it as he stared in a dispassionate manner at the units symbolized by markers on the map.

Legate Rikke stood off to the other side, also leaning on the table with both hands, but her gaze the whole time had been riveted on the back and forth exchange between Tullius and Elisif.

"We took Fort Dunstad back...and rebuilt Fort Felhammer to reinforce it" Tullius answered in a measured tone, as if he was explaining it to a child.

"Not before allowing Ulfric's men to route the Third Legion from both of them as well as the encampments further north and west of Dawnstar!" Elisif snapped back.

"Losses happen in campaigns. You can't let them make you lose your...strategic goals" Tullius made visible effort not to snap back at her.

"These losses put our troops to rout and nearly put Ulfric's forces on our doorstep. As it is, he controls most of the eastern side of Skyrim. If you concede the Pale, Hjaalmarch would fall easily since it is so lightly defended. That would have allowed Ulfric to cut off supplies from the south and lay seige to Solitude itself!" Elisif barked, rising and pointing at the different places on the map, wondering why Tullius was so stubbornly unwilling to admit how bad the situation had been.

"Yes, but that didn't happen. Did it?" Tullius sighed with barely veiled impatience.

"So I was just going to wake up one morning and find Ulfric's army encircling the city? Is that how I was supposed to find out?" Elisif refused to budge.

Tullius glared his response at Elisif before looking at Rikke, as if making a silent appeal.

Rikke simply eyed him with concern before looking back at the map.

"I was avoiding troubling you with matters of war. You have matters of the hold to deal with already" Tullius explained, some of the fire gone from his tone.

"If I am to lead Skyrim as a whole, I need to know what is happening beyond my own hold. You chose me as interim ruler, named me so before the Imperial Council upon my husband's passing. Since it will apparently become a more permanent job than either of us expected, I expect you to begin informing me more diligently of the goings on" Elisif declared before slowly sitting back down.

She had deliberately couched her declaration of intent to rule as a foregone conclusion on purpose, and was pleased with the reaction of both Tullius and Rikke, who's eyes both grew wide with surprise for a second, staring at each other for a moment before looking down at the map again, trying to remain stoic.

She was daring Tullius to betray his own intent. If he was so bold, let him speak now, but in doing so, he would only reveal his own plans. Something she was sure he was loath to do.

"Some replacements for our losses are making their way north from Cyrodiil, even as we speak. With the bolstered, full strength of the Third Legion, we can push the Stormcloaks out of the Pale completely" Tullius declared confidently after clearing his throat, avoiding commenting altogether on Elisif's declaration.

"And what has the Sixth Legion been doing this whole time?" Elisif snapped immediately.

"Half is encamped down near Falkreath to keep the pass to Cyrodiil and the road north from falling into Stormcloak hands. Legate Sven Skulnar commands them" Tullius explained as he pointed to the marker near Falkreath.

"And the rest?"

"Two of their cohorts are here, east of Rorikstead under Legate Quentin Scipius, and the other three are split up along this area. Legate Hrollod has a cohort controlling Broken Tower Redoubt here. Legate Fasendil has another cohort to hold down Fort Sundgard, and...the last cohort is camped somewhere in here, near the Sundered Towers" Tullius sighed as he waved his hand at the locations on the map.

"Who commands it?" Elisif quipped, noting the absence of mentioning a Legate associated with it.

"It was...commanded by Legate Shiria Lasirius. Now, Tribune Kranen has temporary command until I decide which Legate to send as a replacement after Legate Lasirius' death at the hands of forsworn marauders" Tullius stared at the map more ponderously.

"Why break up the Sixth into so many places?" Elisif queried, already knowing part of the answer, but wanting Tullius to start divulging his strategy without her having to pry or enable him to withhold any details from her.

"We can't leave the middle so free of troops, or Ulfric could outflank either or both Legions in the north or south. Additionally, as soon as the war broke out, the Forsworn decided it would be a good time to start trouble again, and have started attacking settlements and encroaching further and further north and east" Tullius frowned a bit, the thought of the Forsworn visibly annoying him.

"And those are the only reasons?" Elisif tried not to sound smug, knowing all three groups of separated cohorts were sitting on Whiterun's borders and of Tullius' expectations of Balgruuf.

Tullius paused a moment and exchanged another glance with Rikke before speaking.

"Balgruuf...can't...remain neutral forever. With cohorts stationed near his borders, it gives us the quickest possible route to get to Whiterun if Ulfric forces his hand, or...if worse comes to worse and Balgruuf inconceivably JOINS the Stormcloaks, then at least we will not be caught by surprise by Stormcloak troops moving quickly across the plains" Tullius gestured with a sweeping hand motion to the plains around Whiterun on the map and extending west nearly to Rorikstead.

"A prudent strategy...I suppose" Elisif made sure she didn't sound impressed "What were your plans then for the extra Legion you requested?" she eyed Tullius as she settled back in her chair, waiting for the explanation.

"If I had another Legion, I could deploy them south...here near Falkreath" he muttered, thumping the map "With those kinds of numbers, we could easily drive the Stormcloak southern army presence from Falkreath Hold. That would free up most of the cohorts already holding the pass. Ulfric doesn't have the might or cunning to fight the war on two fronts. With a Legion and a half in the south slowly pushing its way north and east and the Third Legion campaigning in the North, defeat would only be a matter of time...probably months" he finished with a wave of his hand as if it was a foregone conclusion.

"Well, it seems we aren't going to get that extra Legion. We cannot fight so defensively and expect to gain ground" Elisif declared, rising and sweeping her hand across the map at the Legion units.

"I expect you to come up with a more productive strategy besides hunkering down and expecting Ulfric to thin his own troops out by attacking your own strong points" Elisif continued before whirling and departing Tullius' barracks to the stunned expressions of both Tullius and Rikke, who were so surprised that neither said anything.

As Elisif plodded into the hallways of the Blue Palace, she had to admit that despite surprising Tullius with the order from High Chancellor Magnus Olaren, he hadn't seemed that bothered by her questions, nor had he been particularly more outgoing about the campaign besides what she had compelled him to divulge.

Entering her room, she carefully closed the door and moved to her writing desk.

Even though she knew she was alone, she still cast a wary glance around before taking a seat and eyeing over the letters that had come in that morning from Dispatch riders.

She didn't like the fact that her mail passed through several hands before getting to her desk, but she worried that changing things up now would tip off any other spies she didn't know about.

Lysi and Bolgeir were...compromised. Lysi had looked to have been co-opted against her will, but Bolgeir had looked completely at home in his role as Elisif cast her memory back to the secluded meeting in the Gardens.

The question is...were there more?

She supposed some in the Legion would have their own designs since there were several Legion names on Hassuldor's list, but they were rarely in the Palace itself, and mainly kept to the Barracks or the City itself.

As she carefully eyed the seals on her letters, she heard a brief flutter off to her side, and quickly glanced to see a Pigeon sitting on the edge of the veranda.

Elisif's eyes homed in with excitement on the small scroll of paper attached to its leg.

Gently coaxing it to her with a piece of breadcrust, she carefully clutched it and extracted its message before releasing it and watching it consume the bread before it flew away.

How exactly the Dunmer were able to train the birds to do this, Elisif had no idea, but she was too excited about the contents of the message to worry about it.

Scurrying around her quarters, she retrieved the necessary powders that she had been instructed to use to read the coded messages that would be sent to her.

She'd had to hide the powders in different places since any spy versed in such things would recognize them if she left them out together somewhere.

Once she'd locked her door and assembled the different ingredients, she carefully unfurled the message, which to the naked eye was a blank slip of paper.

Remembering the order she had been told to memorize by the House Redoran Spymaster, she carefully sprinkled some glow dust on the parchment and waited a moment as a message in bluish letters began to appear.

 _"Frostfall 4th Fredas: Dragonborn rumored to be in Riften - Unrest in Whiterun, people want Balgruuf to choose a side"_

Elisif was a little disappointed at the brevity of the message, but remembered it was only a message from the spy in Whiterun. The others were yet to be deciphered.

Disposing of the glow dust remnants, she slowly sprinkled dust derived from ground blue moth's wings across the same parchment.

Again, scripted letters slowly appeared, this time in yellow glowing form.

 _"Frostfall 2nd Thedas: A strange temple outside Dawnstar inflicts madness on all who go near - both armies have taken casualties from it - Jarl Skald threatens to cut off all non-Stormcloak shipping, threatening the loss of income for many - most in the City grow tired of him and the Stormcloaks"_

After a moment of contemplating the implications, Elisif noted the script starting to fade.

Discarding the dust on it, she sprinkled the next batch on, some powdered Orange dartwing dust.

 _"Frostfall 1st Fredas: Mage's College in Winterhold at risk of being closed down - Korir and most Winterhold residents despise them - Korir has recently forced the College to train Stormcloak recruits, even though the Mages declared themselves neutral - Situation grows worse by the day"_

Sighing with frustration, Elisif couldn't say she was surprised since Korir had always had a poor attitude about the Mage's College ever since becoming Jarl.

Dumping the dust off, she scattered the Orange Butterfly Wing Dust on next, eager to see what new information would present itself.

 _"Hearthfire Last Fredas: Situation in the Reach worse than feared - Forsworn control nearly everything south of Markarth and east to Rorikstead and continue pushing north - Attacks on settlements and farms are now a weekly if not daily occurrence - Jarl Igmund behaves strangely - most in Markarth do not trust him - He seems to believe as long as the City is safe, that eventually the Legion will drive back the Forsworn and does little to stop them himself - Situation will grow dire if no intervention is made soon."_

Elisif sat back and pondered over the new information in tandem with what she now knew about the placement of the Empire's forces. She would have to find some way of convincing Tullius to deploy some of them to Markarth, or they might lose the Reach again...just like the Markarth Incident from before.

Fidgeting with frustration, she hurriedly dumped off the dust and applied some Moon Sugar across the parchment, waiting for a moment as green scripted letters began to appear.

 _"No report from Riften, Windhelm or Falkreath yet. If this continues, we will investigate- M"_

Elisif's heart fell, upon reading the message. She knew that it might take some time for the spies to get themselves into the locations they were supposed to be scouting, but still, she had been so intent upon learning about Windhelm and hopefully get something on Ulfric's plans or weaknesses to use against him.

Her disappointment was interrupted by a gentle knocking on the door to her private quarters.

"My Lady? My Lady? Are you well?" came the muffled entreaties of her maid, Lysi.

Elisif quickly hid the jars of powders in her writing desk before slipping the parchment report into the fireplace.

She then took a moment to collect herself before moving to the door and slowly unlocking it, as if deliberately taking her time.

"Yes, what is it?" Elisif asked, acting as if it was completely normal for her to lock the door on her own maids, something she never did before.

"I...my apologies, my Lady" Lysi curtsied, casting her gaze down at the floor "I came to change the bed linens and...th-the door was locked. S-so I thought something might be wrong" she murmured, avoiding Elisif's gaze.

"Nothing is wrong. I simply found dealing with General Tullius this afternoon very taxing and wished to retreat to my own quarters for some peace of mind. Since I did not wish to be disturbed, I decided to lock the door" Elisif explained as if it were a very sensible thing to do.

"Oh..." Lysi replied, still avoiding looking Elisif in the eye, but also confused at Elisif's behavior.

"In fact, in the future, I might try it some more as the isolation calms my poor nerves" Elisif continued, seizing the opportunity to make the practice a more normal occurrence.

"Oh...of course, my Lady. I will let Erdi know" Lysi replied with her head still bowed.

"You may continue, though" Elisif waved into the room, taking a seat back at her desk as she pretended to eyeball some letters while instead watching Lysi scurrying around as she changed the bed linens.

Elisif felt conflicted.

Lysi had seemed like she was so unwilling at the secret meeting in the Garden, but during their trip back to Solitude, it had occurred to Elisif that Lysi might not always have been unwilling, and may only have been unwilling once she was asked to do something unpleasant or once she realized the depth of matters she was involved with.

Her loyalty was impossible to be sure of without knowing more.

Momentarily overcome with her concern for the young, Nord lass who'd been a maid in the Palace for two years now, Elisif approached her as she was about to leave with the dirty bed linens.

"Lysi..." Elisif carefully reached down and tipped the young maid's chin up to look her in the eyes "Is everything alright?" she asked, searching the frightened green eyes of the Nord lass.

"O-of course, my Lady...why wouldn't it be?" Lysi blurted out, involuntarily shaking her head loose from Elisif's finger on her chin before bowing obediently again, robbing Elisif's scrutiny of those frightened green eyes, and instead, presenting only the obedient blonde head of hair, with braids around the sides.

"I just wondered. The trip to the Imperial City was a rough trip on all of us. You know you can always talk to me about anything" Elisif tried to reply in a comforting tone without sounding too worried.

"Thank you...my Lady. You are most kind" Lysi bowed before backing away and moving out of the room and closing the door.

After watching Lysi leave and close the door, Elisif turned back to her desk and froze in horror.

Somehow, she had forgotten to put the jar of Moon Sugar away, and it was sitting on the edge of the desk by her writing materials.

 _Had Lysi seen it? Would she know what it was for if she had seen it?_

Elisif cursed her own ineptitude as she put the Moon Sugar away and then one by one, removed the other ingredients from her desk and hid them in their proper places again.

Sighing in frustration, she sank into her chair and contemplated what to do.

It was bad enough to have enemies elsewhere. Having people working against her inside her own Palace would simply not do, especially if they undermined everything else she was trying to accomplish.

But were Bolgeir and Lysi the only ones working secretly for others...either willingly or not?

Elisif surmised there were others, particularly given the number of names on Hassuldor's list.

 _What were they after? Surely they weren't all after the same thing?_

Would prying into the lives of those near her alert them to the fact she knew they were spying?

There was one person in the Palace that Elisif knew she had to have on her side and assured of her loyalty if she was going to get anywhere.

Looking at the time, she hurried out of her quarters and down the hallway, knowing this was about the usual time Sybille Stentor would be back in her quarters.

* * *

Author's Notes:

1\. **IMPORTANT: THIS FIC, ALONG WITH MY OTHERS, IS BEING MOVED OVER TO AO3. YOU CAN FIND IT THERE UNDER THE SAME NAME AND I HAVE THE SAME AUTHOR NAME AS HERE. AO3 WILL GIVE ME MORE FREEDOM TO WRITE (ACTUALLY HAVE APPROPRIATE CATEGORIES FOR GRAPHIC MATERIAL) AND HOPEFULLY FEWER TECHNICAL PROBLEMS THAN THIS SITE HAS GIVEN ME. Sorry if that is an inconvenience, but it is very easy to get an AO3 account setup, though there might be a waiting period of a few days since there is a backlog of requests.**

2\. I have tried to make the Campaign strategies, locations, and politics as accurately as possible, but it is time consuming. Feedback is helpful if you notice something off.

3\. There isn't much about spying that is actually visible in the Elder Scrolls universe, but it is mentioned plenty of times. I figured that based on what else was possible with magic in the Lore, that it would make sense for invisible runes to be sent via messenger, and that only ones instructed with the specific ingredient or spell would be able to reveal the message. If you're aware of any other "spy stuff" from the Elder Scrolls world that I have somehow overlooked or am not aware of, message me plz.


End file.
